Chicago Bears make brilliant move in trade up to No. 11 for Justin Fields

The Chicago Bears might have just gotten the steal of the 2021 NFL Draft after trading up nine spots with the New York Giants to take former Ohio State standout quarterback Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick.

For months, Fields was projected to be the next quarterback taken after Trevor Lawrence but the overanalyzing and nitpicking has caused him to slip outside of the top 10. After originally holding the 20th pick in the draft, the Chicago Bears saw their chance when Fields slipped to 11 and pounced at the opportunity to trade up and nab their quarterback of the future.

Fields was dominant at the collegiate level with the Buckeyes, going 20-2 as a starter, throwing for over 5,700 yards, and posting a 67 to 9 touchdown to interception ratio. He also had over 1,000 yards on the ground and added 19 more touchdowns with his legs. His blend of arm strength, poise, and athleticism will remind you of Cam Newton when he entered the league, who went first overall.

Justin Fields lands in a great situation for him, as he won’t have the immediate expectation to step into the starting role and produce right away. He has the benefit of likely beginning his NFL journey sitting and learning behind two heady veteran quarterbacks in Andy Dalton and Nick Foles. However, I have a feeling it won’t be long until he is ready to take the reins.

This was an aggressive move for the Chicago Bears, as they gave up next year’s first-round pick, as well as a 2021 fifth and a 2022 fourth in the deal with the New York Giants. They clearly believe he is their future franchise quarterback and they likely didn’t expect to have the opportunity to make this trade. I believe they just landed the biggest steal so far in the 2021 NFL Draft and have found their longtime solution at the position.